Lotus vine named ‘CoFlash’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lotus  hybrid plant named ‘CoFlash’, characterized by its pendulous growth habit and pan-seasonal production of yellow-red flowers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar botanically known as Lotus hybrid, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘CoFlash’.

The cultivar of the accompanying photograph was developed and selected in a controlled breeding program in Rogue River, Oreg., by the inventor, Harlan Cosner and Susan Cosner, as described herein.

The plant is intended primarily to be ornamentally used in, for example, hanging baskets, in colder regions of the United States, and possibly as ground cover in regions of warmer winters, with minimum temperatures above 25° F.

2. Description of the Relevant Art

‘CoFlash’ is a result of a cross between a Lotus hybrid and a Lotus maculata. The pollen parent was ‘Amazon Sunset’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,864). The seed parent was ‘TiGo’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,118.).

The seed parent was of similar color, but was far less floriferous, producing at least 30% less flowers. Flowering may also decrease in possible photoperiodic reaction to winter short dull days.

The primary difference between the pollen parent and the instant plant is in flower color, the flowers of the instant plant appear yellow with a red tinge when observed at a distance of a few feet while the flowers of the pollen parent appear scarlet or red.

The plant was discovered as a seedling from a controlled cross-pollination made by the inventor under greenhouse conditions. The plant was produced in a controlled breeding program at Rogue River, Oreg. First asexual production was completed in Rogue River, Oreg. at least as early as Aug. 5, 2008.

Asexual propagation of the cultivar by lateral or apical stems with leaves has proven the plant to be stable in successive generations.

Color references are according to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 2011 edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A new and distinct cultivar of Lotus hybrid having a pendulous plant habit and pan-seasonal production of yellow-red bi-color flowers, which appear yellow from a distance of a few feet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The attached color photographs illustrate the cultivar of the present invention at first inflorescense.

The first photograph depicts a hanging basket of the cultivar at first inflorescense.

The second photograph depicts a close-up of the flowers of the cultivar.

PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and description of the plant and flowers are based on the following environment and cultural practices at Rogue River, Oreg. The following measurements, values and comparisons describe plants grown under a double layer of polyethylene film with temperatures ranging from between 60° F. to 68° F. at night, and between 85° F. to 100° F. during the daytime. The individual plants were grown in 10-inch hanging baskets in a soiless medium consisting of Perlite and peat moss. Plants were liquid fed with 20-10-20 plus minor elements. The cutting types were lateral or apical stems. Cuttings were stuck in about the first week of June 2008 and finished in about late October 2008. Light levels were a maximum of 1,000-6,000 ft. candles, depending on cloud cover.

The plant of the present invention has not been observed in all possible environmental and/or cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light level, humidity and also with cultural practices such as fertility, soil and water quality.

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance and the flower color of the cultivar of the present invention described herein. The photographs were taken of a mature plant during early inflorescence.

There may be variations between the colors in the photograph and the colors in the following description due to, for example, light reflectance, the amount of blue or red light captured in the film, and/or propagation stress. If such variations occur, then written description shall control.

The following description was taken of the ‘CoFlash’ cultivar shown in the photographs.

-   Parentage: The new cultivar was developed by standard     cross-pollination. As noted above, its pollen parent was an ‘Amazon     Sunset’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,864), and the seed parent was ‘TiGo’     (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,118). -   Propagation:     -   -   Type of cutting.—Lateral or apical stems with leaves.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 12 to 14 days at             70° F. soil temperature, and 70° F. air temperature, with             radiant heat applied at the bench top or just below the             rooting medium. Winter low light conditions may require             longer time to initiate roots. -   Appearance and form of mature plant:     -   -   Plant form and habit.—Plant is free branching and pendulous.         -   Plant size.—Stems generally protrude upwards until they             reach about 30 cm. in length, then they become pendulous.             Stem length at first flowering is generally about 50 cm.             Both of these measurements are a function of age, the above             environmental and cultural practices, and can vary             accordingly.         -   Rooting habit.—Roots are coarse and somewhat stringy.         -   Branching habit.—Pendulous.         -   Stems.—Habit is pendulous. Internode length on mature stems             is about 3 cm. Lateral stems alternate along the main stem.             Color does not match any in the chart, but appears between             148B and 148C on all surfaces when juvenile. With age, the             surfaces of the stems that are the most exposed to light             become densely spotted with a reddish brown color making the             color appear close to 177A. The undersurfaces or shaded             surfaces tend to remain close to and between 148B and 148C.         -   Foliage.—Shape is linear. Leaves usually numbering 5 or 6             appear in half whorls that alternate in position along the             stems.         -   Foliage size.—Size of the largest leaves is about 1.6 cm. in             length, and about 2 mm. in width.         -   Foliage color.—Adaxial surface color is closest to 137B and             the abaxial surface color is 137C. There is no visible             venation. Juvenile foliage adaxial surface color is closest             to 137B and the abaxial surface color is 137C. There is no             visible venation.         -   Foliage texture.—The foliage texture is smooth with tiny             pubescence.         -   Petioles.—There appears not to be any petioles, or if there             are any, they are too short to determine, as the leaves             appear to be attached directly to the stems.         -   Flower habit.—Outward away from stems.         -   Flower size/shape.—About 1.75 cm. wide and about 3.25 cm.             high, and about 0.5 cm. deep. The center petals are fused             together appearing as one single petal with each of the             fused center petals being about 0.6 cm. Wide and 3 cm. deep,             and the shape is linear on one side, and ovate on the other             with exaggerated and curved acuminate apex (more like a             curved, tapering, acicular or filliform apex), entire margin             and cuneate base. Each side petal is about 0.6 cm. wide and             about 2.3 cm. long, and the shape is linear on one side, and             ovate o the other side, with a cuneate base and acuminate             apex, and entire margin. The center petal is about 0.7 cm.             wide and about 2.3 cm. long that is strongly reflexed into a             u-shape, cuneate base, strongly acuminate apex, and entire             margin. These measurements refer to the larger flowers.         -   Flower texture.—Smooth.         -   Flower count.—Usually 3 or 4 flowers per axial.         -   Flowers borne.—Arising from leaf axils, one peduncle per             node, with generally one to four pedicels per peduncle, each             pedicel producing a single flower. Flowers are single in             type.         -   Natural flowering season.—Can be year around under             greenhouse conditions, except flowering may decrease or             cease during low-light periods of winter, indicating the             plant may be somewhat photoperiodic. Little or no             vernalization is required and the plants flower continuously             when minimum temperatures are below 65° F., except possible             photoperiodic responses as stated above. The plant also             flowers continuously at sustained minimum temperatures in             excess of 65° F., except to a lesser extent. The plants do             flower heaviest after about 30 days of minimum temperatures             below 50 degrees F.         -   Time to flower.—About 12 weeks from rooted cutting to first             inflorescence, depending on the age of the cuttings that             were stuck, and other environmental conditions. Budded             cuttings flowered earlier than juvenile cuttings.         -   Flower shape and color.—There are 5 petals, with the two             largest petals fused together at each side forming a hollow             tube-type of single organ that is wider at the base than at             the apex. The adaxial surface of each of these petals is             close to 17C at the base and the apex appears close to 183A             with a small area close to 42A toward the middle of the             petal, than another small area close to 45 A toward the             base, but each color is hard to determine due to the small             size of each area. There are two side petals which parallel             the main two fused petals, their adaxial surface is close to             150A at base, then close to 28A from base to midway and             apex. There are tiny reddish streaks toward the apex which             are very narrow, making the color very hard to determine,             but which appear close to 34A and 45A close to the apex.             There is a strongly reflexed center petal which attaches to             the calyx and covers about half of the abaxial surface of             the two side petals, the adaxial surface color is closest to             150C at the base to 34B at about one quarter of the way to             the apex. There is a strip between 17C and 17B to about             three quarters of the way to the apex with a center strip             close to 187B to 187C, to 46 A toward the apex that is in             the center of the petal. The abaxial surface of the outer             fused petal is close to 20C at the base toward apex, then             changing about the middle of the petal to close to 16A. Then             about three quarters of the petal toward the apex is a dark             strip close to 168A. The apical portion of the petal is             colored close to 183A to 183B. The side petals at the base             are close to 162B, then a strip of reddish tinged yellow             close to 162A to 162B. Most of the remaining portion of the             petals toward the apex is closest to 16A. The apex is             closest to 16A. The reflexed center petal has about a half             centimeter of a base color close to 153C to 153D. Then on             each side, is a small spot close to 33A, then there is             astrip of close to 17A to 17B on the outer edges that extend             from a basal spot of 153C to 153D to about three-quarters of             the petal length toward the apex. There is a center strip             close to 165A that extends from the basal spot of 153C to             153D to the apex.         -   Flower buds.—Lanceolate in shape, 1 cm. in length and             0.4 cm. in diameter at the base. Bud color prior to opening             is close to 143B at the base, and 143B toward the apex with             an area of 143C to 143D in the center of the bud.         -   Peduncles.—Length is about 1.3 cm. and diameter is about             1.5 mm. The color does not match any in the chart, but             appears between 143B and 143C with extremely tiny reddish             spots, which are too small to determine color.         -   Pedicels.—About 0.5 cm. long and about 1 mm. in width. Color             is closest to 143B.         -   Calyx.—There is one calyx measuring about 0.5 cm. wide             and 1. cm. long. It is sheathing and crown-like in shape             with five pointed lobes, each with an acute to acuminate             apex. There are two which are longer than the other three.             These longer two are curved and follow the curvature of the             center reflexed petal described above. The apex of each of             the shorter three points is about 0.6 cm. long and the             longer two are each about 0.75 cm. long. The adaxial surface             is close to 143A at the base, and close to 143A at the apex             with a strip close to 143C in the middle.. The abaxial             surface is close 143A at the base and 143C at the apex.             There is very fine pubescence on both surfaces the color of             which cannot be determined due to the tiny size.         -   Reproductive organs.—Ovary is colored 143B to 143C, about             1.25 cm. in length and 1.5 mm. in diameter. The stigma is             colored close to 145C, about: 0.1 mm. wide and 2 cm. long.             The stamen is a single organ at the base which sheaths the             ovary, then it splits into 5 individual filaments, each of             which produces a tiny anther that appears close to 153D, but             exact color cannot be determined due to the tiny size of the             anthers. The stamen and filaments are colored close to 150D.             The pollen color appears close to 12C. The pollen is shed             before the stigma is receptive to pollen and natural seed             production has not occurred.         -   Disease resistance.—Plants seem to be highly resistant or             even immune to INSV, TSWV and most other viruses, bacteria             and fungi. Plants have been tested in outdoor unscreened             conditions where obvious virus contaminations were prevalent             and thrip populations were high, but no occurrences of virus             contaminations were noticed despite high populations of             thrips on the plants in close proximity to plants of other             species susceptible to such contaminations, and showing             obvious virus symptoms.         -   Rooting ability.—Easy, no hormones needed.         -   Cold/heat resistance.—Plants have flowered continuously             under temperatures where maximums exceeded 100° F., and             where minimums did not fall below 65° F.

COMPARISON CHART TO PRIOR ART

The major differences of the instant cultivar is compared to ‘TiGo’.

‘TiGo’ ‘CoFlash’ Stem colors- 139D 148B to 148C Foliage surface colors Adaxial 138A 137B Abaxial 138B 137C Flower colors Adaxial petal surfaces Largest petals - Base 11C 17C Apex 180A to 180B 183A, 45A, 42A Side petals base 12A 150A Midsection 14A 28A Apex 179A, 180A 34A, 45A Center petal base 9D 150C Midsection 14B 34B Center strip 187A to 200A 17C to 17D and 187B to 187C 46A Abaxial petal surfaces Largest petals - base 31B to 31C 20C Midsection 12A 16A Apex 171A 168A and 183A Side petals- base 37B 162B Midsection 13A 162 A to 162B Apex 179A 16A and 29A Center petal - Base 1C 153C to 153D Midsection 179A,164A 33A, 17A to 17B 163A,166A, 153C to 153D 180A 165A Apex 175A 165A

COLOR CODE CHART

Stems: 139D, 200D

Foliage: 138A, 138B

Flowers: 11C, 180A, 180B, 12A, 14A, 179A, 180A, 14B, 9D, 187A, 200A, 31B, 31C, 171A, 37B, 13A, 179A, 1C, 164A, 163A, 166A, 175A, 145C, 147C

Peduncles: 145B, 145C

Pedicels: 145B

Calyx: 138B, 144B, 144C

Reproductive organs: 145A, 153D, 153A, 150C, 11C 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lotus hybrid named ‘CoFlash’, as illustrated and described herein. 